Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/40

 black caps were drawn over their heads they clasped each other’s hands in a last farewell and calmly met their doom. Edwin’s body was taken by his friends to his boyhood home at Salem, and there laid to rest among his kindred.

Barclay Coppoc, Edwin’s younger brother, was born January 4, 1839. He was somewhat taller than Edwin, of slender build, brown hair, bold, large eyes, and a determined expression. He was threatened with consumption from boyhood. When nineteen years of age he joined a party going to Kansas. Emigrant life improved his health and he enjoyed the stirring events of the Free-State conflict with the Missouri invaders.

Here he met Aaron D. Stevens, Richard Realf and John Brown, and enlisted in a number of their expeditions. When his old leader came to Springdale, a year later, Barclay was ready to again take up arms against slavery. As we have seen, he was not in the desperate fight at Harper’s Ferry, from the fact that he was sent with Owen Brown’s party to guard their arms on Maryland side. After all was lost and they escaped to the mountains, Owen Brown was by common consent made their leader. A large reward was offered by Governor Wise for their arrest and delivery to the jail of Jefferson County. The country was soon alive with armed men hunting for the fugitives. Governor wise described Barclay Coppoc as follows:

“He is about twenty years of age; is about five feet seven and a half inches in height, with hazel eyes and brown hair, wears a light mustache, and has a consumptive look.”

Each member of the party was as minutely described. Cook was so well known at Harper’s Ferry that a perfect description was given of him and reward of $1,000 was offered for his capture. As the men passed near Chambersburg, in the mountains, Cook could not resist the temptation to venture into town in the darkness of night to see his young wife and say goodby before going on to Canada. His companions protested most earnestly but